TUESDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 26, 2025
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA, THE BLACK MADONNA; SAINT JEANNE ELIZABETH BICHIER DES AGES, VIRGIN; SAINT ZEPHYRINUS, POPE AND MARTYR AND SAINT ORONTIUS OF LECCE, BISHOP AND MARTYR | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Saint Jeanne Elizabeth Bichier des Ages, Saint Zephyrinus, and Saint Orontius of Lecce| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-august-26th/)
NOVENA TO SAINT MONICA: The 2025 Novena to Saint Monica is scheduled to begin on Monday, August 18 and end on August 26 in preparation for the Feast of Saint Monica on August 27th. The novena is especially prayed for wayward children.
NOVENA TO SAINT MONICA | AUGUST 18-26TH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/novena-to-saint-monica/
We thank God for granting us the grace to successfully complete our Novena to Saint Monica today. We pray for God’s grace and mercy upon us all and our children as we prepare to celebrate the Feast of St. Monica tomorrow, August 27, 2025.
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | August 26, 2025 | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-daily-mass-171/
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025: JUBILEE PRAYER | Link to the prayer of the Jubilee of Hope 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/08/the-jubilee-prayer/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
Today, Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time, we thank the good Lord for the gift of this day! During this month of August, we entrust our lives, our plans, our fears, and our dreams into God’s loving hands. We pray that this month will be filled with divine blessings, new opportunities, and the strength to overcome every challenge that may come our way.
We pray and celebrate with those marking birthdays, anniversaries, new jobs, weddings, and other joyful milestones this August. With special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, we pray for all those experiencing challenges in their marriages, may God grant them healing, strength, peace and love. May this be a month of peace for the anxious, healing for the sick, comfort for the brokenhearted, and provision for the needy. As we walk through the days ahead, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ go before us, the love of God surround us, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit guide every decision we make. May this month bring us closer to holiness, deeper in faith, and stronger in hope. In all things, may God’s name be paised. Amen🙏🏽
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” ~ Matthew 5:4
We remember in prayer all who began this journey of life with us but are no longer here. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died, that the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom.
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏🏽
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
With special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we continue to humbly pray for the well-being and safety of all parents, grandparents and the elderly. We pray for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our divided and conflicted world today. We continue to pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of our children and children all over the world. We pray for all those who are marginalized in our society, the poor and the needy. We pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, that they be sanctified in their ministry to God’s people. We pray for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world suffering from political and religious unrest. May God protect us all and keep united in peace, love and faith. Amen 🙏🏽
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, we pray for all fathers, workers and all those who labour in this world. May the Lord bless the work of their hands and may God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of the Ordinary Time. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of August.🙏🏽
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of August | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-august/
COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/
PRAYER FOR THE BEGINNING OF A NEW SCHOOL YEAR | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/prayer-for-the-beginning-of-a-new-school-year/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time | August 26, 2025
Reading 1: 1 Thessalonians 2:1–8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1–3, 4–6
Gospel: Matthew 23:23–26
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 23:23–26
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites; But these you should have done, without neglecting the others”
“Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus strongly criticizes and denounces the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees for being so preoccupied with unimportant details relating to the tithing of herbs while neglecting the core values that the Jewish Law sought to uphold, such as justice, mercy and faith. They were meticulous about outward religious practices, tithing even the smallest herbs, but they neglected the heart of God’s law justice, mercy, and fidelity. Jesus calls them “blind guides” because they strained out small details while overlooking what truly mattered. The background to what Jesus says here may be the prophet Micah’s understanding of what God desires of us, ‘to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God’. The context of Micah’s statement was the people’s concern about what kind of animal sacrifice should be offered to God. Micah was saying to the people that their preoccupation is wide of the mark; it does not correspond to what God really wants. Jesus stands in the line of the prophets who sought to bring people back to what was really important, what really mattered to God. Jesus’ vivid image of cleansing only the outside of a cup while the inside remained filthy reveals the danger of external religiosity without inner conversion. Holiness, Jesus teaches, begins from within. A heart transformed by love, mercy, and truth naturally bears fruit in authentic worship and action. This message challenges us today as much as it did the Pharisees. It is easy to appear devout outwardly attending Mass, saying prayers, or doing good deeds while our hearts remain cluttered with pride, selfishness, or resentment. Jesus is not dismissing rituals or disciplines, but reminding us that they must flow from a heart purified by God’s grace. Authentic faith is not about appearances, but about integrity and love. As disciples of Jesus, we have to keep on returning to the essentials, to what is at the heart of the message of Jesus, what is at the heart of God. It would be hard to find a better statement of those essentials than that trinity of values given to us by Micah and by Jesus, the exercise of justice and mercy towards others and a humble, trusting faith in God. These were the values which Jesus embodied in His life and in His death. To live by them is, in the language of St. Paul, to put on Christ, which is the core of our baptismal calling.
According to the verse in the book of Prophet Micah, ‘What is it that the Lord requires of you but to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?’ To do justice is to give people what is their due as human beings and as images of God. To love mercy is to show mercy to others in the sense of forgiving others and serving them in their need. To walk humbly with your God is to be open in faith to God’s purpose and desire for our lives. These three basic attitudes are a summary of God’s will for our lives. It is possible that this text from the prophet Micah lies behind what Jesus calls in today’s Gospel reading, the weightier matters of the law, ‘justice, mercy and good faith’. That triad of justice, mercy and faith remains a very succinct statement of what the Lord desires from us in our own day. In a sense, those three elements correspond to the two great commandments that Jesus proclaimed. The first commandment, to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength corresponds to faith and the second commandment, to love our neighbour as ourselves corresponds to justice and mercy. These remain the weightier matters of our own Christian tradition. All the other elements of our tradition need to be at the service of these two commandments and these three fundamental values of justice, mercy and faith.
In the first reading, St. Paul reminds the Thessalonians of his own ministry among them. He recalls the suffering and opposition he endured, but he emphasizes that his preaching was not motivated by greed, flattery, or self-interest. Instead, he and his companions shared the Gospel with sincerity, even offering their very selves out of love. Paul’s image of caring for the believers “as a nursing mother cares for her children” is striking. It reminds us that true Christian service is not about power or recognition but about tender love, sacrifice, and a willingness to pour out our lives for others.
The Responsorial Psalm echoes this intimacy: “You have searched me and you know me, Lord.” God knows the truth of who we are our thoughts, our motives, our struggles. Unlike people who see only the surface, God sees the heart. Nothing is hidden from Him, and His knowledge of us is not harsh or condemning but filled with love. This should both humble us and encourage us: we cannot fool God with appearances, yet we can rest in His mercy as He shapes us from within.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are invited to examine ourselves honestly: Am I more focused on appearances than on cultivating a heart of mercy and faithfulness? Do I live my faith with sincerity, or do I sometimes act for recognition or approval? Am I willing, like Paul, to share not only the Gospel but my very self with others? True holiness is not about a polished exterior but about letting God purify our hearts so that His mercy, love, and fidelity overflow into every aspect of our lives. May we seek to cleanse the “inside of the cup” through prayer, humility, and sincerity, so that our outward actions may truly reflect God’s love. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may our faith be lived with authenticity, bearing witness to others of the transforming power of Christ in us. 🙏🏾
Lord Jesus, You call me to live with sincerity and mercy, not focusing only on appearances but allowing Your grace to cleanse and transform my heart. Deliver me from hypocrisy and pride, and make me a true witness of Your Gospel. Like St. Paul, may I share not only words but my very self, pouring out love for those You place in my life. Search me and know me, Lord, and lead me in the way of truth. Amen. 🙏🏾
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA, THE BLACK MADONNA; SAINT JEANNE ELIZABETH BICHIER DES AGES, VIRGIN; SAINT ZEPHYRINUS, POPE AND MARTYR AND SAINT ORONTIUS OF LECCE, BISHOP AND MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY – AUGUST 26TH: Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa (the Black Madonna, Patroness of Poland), as well as the memory of Saint Jeanne Elizabeth Bichier des Ages (Patroness of the sick, especially cancer patients, and of the poor and youth), Saint Zephyrinus (Patron of cemeteries and gravediggers), and Saint Orontius of Lecce (Patron of Lecce, Italy, and invoked against natural disasters and plagues). On this day, we lift our hearts in prayer through their intercession: for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, for those who mourn, for the poor and the sick especially those battling cancer and terminal illness and for students, youth, and families. We pray for peace in the world, for unity in marriages and homes, and for our Holy Father, bishops, clergy, and all who labor in the vineyard of the Lord. May these witnesses of faith inspire us to live with courage, humility, and love for God. 🙏🏾
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | August 26th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
( Direct link to the detailed history of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Saint Jeanne Elizabeth Bichier des Ages, Saint Zephyrinus, and Saint Orontius of Lecce | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-august-26th/)
OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA, THE BLACK MADONNA: Our Lady of Czestochowa, also called the Black Madonna, is one of the most venerated icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, enshrined at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland. Tradition holds that the image was painted by St. Luke the Evangelist on a tabletop once used by the Holy Family in Nazareth, later discovered by St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, and brought to Constantinople. Over centuries, it was moved through Jerusalem, Belz, and eventually Czestochowa, where it became Poland’s spiritual heart. The icon bears scars from attacks by invaders in the 15th century two deep slashes across Mary’s face and a mark on her throat which remain visible today as a sign of her suffering with her people. Countless miracles have been attributed to her intercession, especially for the Polish nation, which proclaimed her Queen and Protector of Poland in 1656. The shrine at Jasna Góra is now the third-largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world, drawing millions of pilgrims yearly. She is a symbol of hope, perseverance, and maternal care.
Prayer to Our Lady of Czestochowa: Holy Mother of Czestochowa, full of grace, goodness, and mercy, I consecrate to you all my thoughts, words, and actions my soul and body. Amid joys and sufferings, I entrust myself totally to you, that you may obtain for me your blessing in this life and eternal life in Heaven. Amen. 🙏🏾
SAINT JEANNE ELIZABETH BICHIER DES AGES, VIRGIN (1773–1838): Born into nobility in France, Jeanne Elizabeth Bichier des Ages experienced the upheaval of the French Revolution, which stripped the Church of freedom and devastated her homeland. Deeply devoted to Christ, she gathered groups of faithful to pray, study Scripture, and preserve the faith at a time when priests were hunted. Guided by St. Andrew Fournet, she co-founded the Daughters of the Cross in 1807, dedicated to teaching, caring for the sick, and serving the poor. By the time of her death, her congregation had spread widely across France. Canonized in 1947, she is remembered as a woman of prayer, courage, and service, who gave her life for the renewal of the Church during one of its darkest trials.
PRAYER: Lord, through the intercession of St. Elizabeth Bichier des Ages, enkindle in us the flame of Divine love and zeal for Your Church, that we may serve You faithfully in every trial. Amen. 🙏🏾
SAINT ZEPHYRINUS, POPE AND MARTYR (d. 217): Pope Zephyrinus served as Bishop of Rome from 199 to 217, during a time of theological controversies and persecution. Though less educated than some of his contemporaries, he remained steadfast in defending the truth of Christ’s divinity against heresies and maintained unity in the Church. He introduced practical reforms, including decrees about the proper use of sacred vessels and the reception of Holy Communion at Easter. Despite opposition and division, he led the Church with humility and courage until his martyrdom in 217. His relics are venerated in Rome, and he is honored as a shepherd who guarded the flock amid stormy times.
PRAYER: Saint Zephyrinus, steadfast guardian of the faith, intercede for us that we may remain faithful to Christ and His Church even in times of trial. Amen.🙏🏽
SAINT ORONTIUS OF LECCE, BISHOP AND MARTYR (1st c.): Orontius of Lecce, son of a Roman imperial official, encountered the Gospel through Justus, a disciple of St. Paul. Converted along with his nephew Fortunatus, he courageously professed the faith despite persecution. After refusing to offer sacrifice to pagan gods, Orontius was arrested, tortured, and exiled to Corinth where he met St. Paul, who consecrated him as the first bishop of Lecce. Returning to his city, Orontius continued to preach the Gospel with zeal, enduring imprisonment and repeated threats until his martyrdom. He is honored as the patron saint of Lecce, Italy, a witness of steadfast courage and apostolic zeal.
PRAYER: Saint Orontius, courageous witness of Christ, pray for us that we may never waver in our love for Jesus and that we may proclaim His Gospel with boldness. Amen.🙏🏽
Our Blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of Czestochowa, Saint Jeanne Elizabeth Bichier des Ages, Saint Zephyrinus, and Saint Orontius of Lecce ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏾
GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/
Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/daily-reflections-and-prayer-links/
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST: For mutual coexistence. Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious or ideological reasons.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST | MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, inviting us to reflect on her pure love, deep sorrow, and unwavering obedience to God. Her heart, aflame with charity and pierced by suffering, mirrors the life of Christ and calls us to follow Him more closely through her example. This month, the Church encourages us to console her sorrowful heart and grow in holiness through prayers like the Rosary, the Litany of the Immaculate Heart, and the First Saturday Devotion. Through Mary’s heart, we are led ever closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“O Immaculate Heart of Mary, be our refuge and the way that leads us to God.”
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us and draw us into deeper love and trust in your Son. Amen🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: Heavenly Father, we thank You for calling us to live with integrity of heart and sincerity of faith. Guided by today’s Gospel, we pray for the grace to move beyond empty appearances and to live with true justice, mercy, and faithfulness in our daily lives. May we, like Saint Paul and his companions, serve others with gentleness, courage, and selfless love, sharing not only the Gospel but our very lives. We entrust our prayers to the maternal care of Our Lady of Czestochowa, asking her intercession for families, nations, and all who suffer. Through the example of Saint Jeanne Elizabeth Bichier des Ages, may we grow in compassion and service to the poor and the sick. By the witness of Pope Saint Zephyrinus and Saint Orontius of Lecce, may the Church remain steadfast in truth and unity. We lift up our world, our Church, and our personal intentions, trusting that God, who searches our hearts and knows us completely, will answer with mercy and love.
LET US PRAY:
Lord of true holiness, You desire to cleanse my soul, and You invite me to meet You there within. Please give me the grace I need to care more about my holiness within than the external perceptions and judgments of others. May I become holy, dear Lord, and learn to become an instrument of that holiness for others. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord God, You search us and know us through and through. Grant us the grace to live with sincerity, to love with purity of heart, and to serve with humility and generosity. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Czestochowa and the saints we honor today, strengthen our faith, protect our families, and guide us in the way of holiness. May our lives bear witness to Your truth and love, bringing light to others and glory to Your name. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of Czestochowa, Saint Jeanne Elizabeth Bichier des Ages, Saint Zephyrinus, and Saint Orontius of Lecce ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽
Thanking God for the precious gift of this new day, and during this gentle rhythm of Ordinary Time, may our hearts remain open to the quiet working of the Holy Spirit who continues to guide, renew, and strengthen us each day. May this new month be filled with blessings, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ walks with us always. Alleluia! Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled Tuesday and a fulfilling week 🙏🏽
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org
Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | Global Missions Now Awards |
North Texas Catholic Magazine | Dr. Philomena Ikowe – Life on Purpose (pages 44-45) | https://www.flipsnack.com/A9DFE877C6F/north-texas-catholic-magazine-mar-apr-issue-2025/full-view.html